Sailor who used ‘Clinton defense’ sentenced to prison

A former U.S. Navy sailor whose use of the “Hillary Clinton defense” was shot down at trial has been sentenced to one year in prison.

Lawyers for Kristian Saucier, a former Navy machinist mate who admitted taking photos of classified areas inside a nuclear submarine, were rebuffed by a federal judge after requesting probation for Saucier, comparing the case to U.S. authorities deciding not to prosecute Hillary Clinton for mishandling classified information on a private email server while she was secretary of state.

Kristian Saucier

U.S. District Judge Stefan Underhill on Aug. 19 sentenced Saucier to one year in prison and a $100 fine, along with six months home confinement, 100 hours of community service and a ban on owning guns, his legal team says. Prosecutors had asked for six years behind bars.

Greg Rinckey, a defense attorney for Saucier, said that while his team was “pleased” with the outcome, “it could be argued here that depending on what your name is, that’s the type of justice you get in the United States.”

Clinton had been “engaging in acts similar to Mr. Saucier” with information of much higher classification.

It would be “unjust and unfair for Mr. Saucier to receive any sentence other than probation for a crime those more powerful than him will likely avoid,” attorney Derrick Hogan wrote in a court filing.